An American travel writer praised 5 street food dishes in Ha Noi

With many years of experience writing about travel, Vietnamese cuisine and often visits Ha Noi, on Business Insider - a multinational financial and business news website, Joshua Zukas introduced 5 delicious street food spots in Ha Noi, which according to the author are being forgotten by Michelin Guidebook.

Although these dishes do not receive a Michelin star, the street food in the capital Ha Noi is really attractive, stated Joshua Zukas.

Newspapers such as The Guardian, The New York Times and CNN also regularly mention many famous street foods in Ha Noi. When selecting outstanding establishments, Michelin Guide inspectors often consider five criteria: quality of ingredients, mastery of flavour, harmony of flavours, personality of the chef and consistency.

“As a travel writer, living and working in Vietnam for over 10 years, I have tried to introduce places that offer unique dining experiences. Notably not just about the food, I also consider the atmosphere, setting, location, story behind the establishments and uniqueness of the experience”, quoted Joshua Zukas.

Bún Cá Sâm Cây Si (Trung Yen, Hoan Kiem)

Bún Cá (Photo: Vinpearl)

Hidden in an alley, Bún Cá Sâm Cây Si is a restaurant that many domestic and foreign diners come to in the Old Quarter. Although not mentioned in the Michelin Guide, this fish noodle shop has remained famous for more than 20 years.

For rice vermicelli and cassava vermicelli dishes, the main ingredient is crispy fried perch. The broth has a sour taste from simmered fish bones and a mixture of pineapple and tomatoes. In addition to soup dishes suitable for the cold season, the restaurant also has mixed dishes.

The restaurant is famous for its meat-rolled fish dish, prepared by Mrs. Sam, the restaurant's owner, according to her own recipe learned from Hue. The rich broth, crispy fish cakes and vibrant alley are reason enough to eat here, but the bigger draw is probably the setting.

Pho Hang Trong (No.5 Hang Trong Str., Hoan Kiem)

Go through an alley between two souvenir shops, climb the stairs and choose a small plastic chair and enjoy a bowl of beef pho. Like all classic Ha Noi pho, the broth is clear and rich, but is boiled for most of the day to create richness. On a nice day, the broth will be seasoned to perfection, with the addition of pickled garlic and chilli sauce for a little extra kick. The most characteristic feature of a bowl of pho is that the broth is as clear as "spring water", the taste is light and fragrant.

This eatery existed on the street for more than two decades, however the family moved the business to their home. To find this once famous pho eatery, diners have to go into a small alley, just large enough for two people to avoid each other, about 6-7m deep. Then, follow the signs to the second floor, through an old spiral staircase.

The dining space is both the family's bedroom and living room, offering a glimpse of life in the Old Quarter.

​Phở Hạnh (No. 65 Lan Ong, Hoan Kiem)

Hạnh Chicken Pho (Photo: Phở Hạnh facebook page)

Many tourists leaving Vietnam think that pho is simply a popular dish in Vietnam, but in reality, the creativity in each dish brings a different specialness and appeal. The mixed chicken pho at Phở Hạnh is an example. Pho noodles are served with meat, crispy fried shallots, peanuts, green vegetables and sweet and sour fish sauce.

​Phở Hạnh is located near the corner of two of Ha Noi's oldest streets: Thuoc Bac and Lan Ong. This is one of the only streets in Ha Noi's Old Quarter that still sells products named after the streets. When enjoying pho, diners will also notice the scent of medicinal herbs and spices in the air.

Rice paper rolls with minced pork (Bánh Cuốn nóng Hồ Tây, No. 34 Yen Phu Str., Tay Ho)

Bánh cuốn (Photo: TITC)

The Old Quarter is the epicentre of street food in Ha Noi, but that does not prevent tourists from exploring further in other areas of Ha Noi. For example, Hot Banh Cuon at West Lake specialises in serving banh cuon, steamed rice paper with minced pork and mushrooms. In addition, diners can order eggs rolled in rice paper with extra pork rolls to enjoy.

Part of the fun of eating banh cuon is watching the chef pour rice flour into a large steamer and then roll the banh cuon into delicate pieces. According to Joshua Zukas, Hot Banh Cuon at West Lake not only is  delicious, but especially here, diners can sit at the same table with chefs who have been making banh cuon for 40 years and watch them prepare long-standing heirloom banh cuon dishes.

Glass noodles with goose (Nhà Hàng Thanh serves miến ngan, glass noodles with goose, No. 3 Tran Phu Str., Hoan Kiem)

Glass noodles with goose (Photo: Vinpearl)

Glass noodles with goose is also an attractive dish, often served with rich broth. If you want to change the dish instead of pho, diners can order mixed goose vermicelli and broth will be served with it.

Joshua Zukas praises the interesting space of Nhà Hàng Thanh, located near the train tracks that helps diners have the experience of eating street food while watching the train run from afar.

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